The U.S. market’s second-largest retailer is about to get bigger. Supermarket giant Kroger, second only to Walmart in U.S. retail sales at $90 billion, agreed yesterday to acquire fellow grocery chain Harris Teeter for $2.5 billion. Harris Teeter—which operates 212 stores across North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Maryland, Delaware and Washington, D.C.—had revenues of $4.5 billion last year. The acquisition will extend Kroger’s U.S. footprint to 2,600 locations across 34 states. Harris Teeter will operate as a subsidiary within Kroger and retain its key executives.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

I've been following this: http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2013/07/10/kroger-harris-teeter-raleys-rumors.htmlsince Raley's is my store of choice right now...it is a family owned business based in Sacramento. They have two stores here, one of the north end of town does three times the business the one I frequent on Redding's south end. I've noticed moral has been low and many of my favorite items have been taken out. Letters and emails to the company come back with form letter words, which only makes me mad. They had a parcel of land 3 minutes from my house and had plans to build a bigger store there. The City even went in and put in a wider street, street lamps and median landscaping. Still, no store and I doubt one will go in anytime soon. Many of the brand names I like such as Muir Glen, are gradually disappearing and are being replaced with Raley's brand. I have not tried them but their labels turn me off. Since I have been using these certain products for a very long time, I want them back.

I'm no business guy, but I'm pretty surprised at price= my impression was groceries were lowest margin of any large business type. Paying more than 50% of annual revenues seems crazy. I understand that there are "strategic" reasons behind such decisions,but as some stores will be in same markets, I would guess that at least in short term those revenues would fall (if a small city or area has a HT, a Kroger, a Publix and a Walmart, and the HT closes, not all the shoppers will go to Kroger).

Dale Williams wrote: I understand that there are "strategic" reasons behind such decisions,but as some stores will be in same markets, I would guess that at least in short term those revenues would fall (if a small city or area has a HT, a Kroger, a Publix and a Walmart, and the HT closes, not all the shoppers will go to Kroger).

For awhile in Huntington Beach, the three grocery stores closest to me were a Ralphs, a Ralphs and a Ralphs (Kroger's biggest chain in the L.A. area). The first and the third of them, in terms of distance, were acquisitions and meagerly stocked with only some of the same items you'd find at the second, which was a grand store built by Ralph's from the ground up. The smaller stores sold more beer than bread, and freshness of perishables was often questionable--if one wanted fresh meat and produce, one went to Ralphs #2. An industry insider explained to me that Ralph's really never expected to more than break even with the first and third location, but they held on to them rather than let competition open up close to store #2. I expect the same policy will hold true in the small city or area you mention. The HT probably won't be closed.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

My "locally owned" and closest (7 mi.) grocer is so bad, even I refuse to step foot in their doors. In fact, I drive right past it and go another 8 miles to a Kroger subsidiary that also is pretty bad, but much better than the local guy. So what's the problem?:1. Dirty ass store2. A significant portion of the inventory is well beyond any reasonable "best by" date.3. High prices4. Horrible selection unless you're shopping for white bread, soda pop, crappy InBev beer, cigarettes, salty snacks, etc.5. Produce that looks like stuff I add to my compost pile...4 days ago.6. Surly help (And this is from a guy who has a PhD. in Surly)

I just learned that the store was sold to another "local" grocer not currently in this area, so I'll wait a month or so and check them out to see if there is any improvement. I'm not holding much hope since the new owners have chosen to retain the current manager.

There is no excuse for a dirty store, and the other issues you mentioned. Who manages this store, anyway? Or maybe I should ask if it is locally owned and by whom? In our area we have a few small stores our local police call stop and robs, and they are as you describe and are owned by a certain ethnic population. I avoid them.

Karen/NoCA wrote:There is no excuse for a dirty store, and the other issues you mentioned. Who manages this store, anyway? Or maybe I should ask if it is locally owned and by whom? In our area we have a few small stores our local police call stop and robs, and they are as you describe and are owned by a certain ethnic population. I avoid them.

Luckily we have a VERY good local (Sacramento Valley) chain in Solano County-Nugget Market. They are by no means at Walmart prices, but their standard staples are fine price wise. They actually have a decent wine department (although my tastes have kinda moved on), and an awesome salad bar and deli.

Can't beat Trader Joes, either!

Lucky's is "meh". I actually like some of Safeway's store brands, and they were forced to upgrade their stores when Nugget came in. Our Raley's still seems fine, but the news from the Sacramento Bee has been iffy at best.

I refuse to give a penny of my money to the Walton Cabal.

...(Humans) are unique in our capacity to construct realities at utter odds with reality. Dogs dream and dolphins imagine, but only humans are deluded. –Jacob Bacharach